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November 3, 2011

✥ DIY ▪West Elm▪ Tree Stump Table ✥

I've seen these tables around the Internet for awhile and I loooove them! I would probably put two in my living room if there were space for them. I've seen painted and stained versions. But the one I'm hacking is from West Elm. I love it so much, from the stump, to the rug to the cool chair. {Doesn't it look a lot like an "inspiration" chair from my classifieds search?}

I kept an eye out for tree stumps for ever months! If you get a newly cut stump, it needs to dry out for a few months. After it's dried out the bark will come off. If you get one that's been cut for awhile, then you need to make sure it's not bug infested! {eek!} So that's why it took so long, trying to make sure it was tall enough, wide enough, old enough, but not too old or too short, etc.

First

Clean'er up! Z and I sprayed pest control all over it for several days {some homemade stuff I whipped up, another post, for another day.} We left it outside to try while it simultaneously repelled pests. Then I washed it down to remove any residue.

Second

The sides were the easy part, I just used a palm sander and some 80 grit sandpaper, then 180, then 320. Unfortunately, the top was cut a little uneven. I don't have a circular sanded so I improvised. I added a sanding disk to my drill and it worked like a charm. Isn't she so pretty! Love, love the gray undertones in the worn wood!

Third

I useda homemade stain made from White Distilled Vinegar and Steel Wool pad. Just let the mixture sit for a couple days outside, it doesn't smell pretty. I didn't measure, I just stuffed a steel wool pad into the bottom half of my vinegar bottle (bottle was .5 gallon.)

Fourth

Wearing gloves, I ragged the mixture on, moving in the direction of the wood grain. You can see what it looks like, as I'm wiping, the color is forming. The stain is a stinky, gray liquid. It's very easy to work with, easier than "real" stains, I think. When dry it looked like this. I was kind of shocked. I thought it would be a lot grayer in color. So, I started Googling and found this stain reacts differently with different trees. {whoops!}I have no idea what tree my stump was from.But the stain turned sort of reddish.

Third & Fourth {again!}

I lived with it for 1 whole day, before I made a new stain.This time I used Apple Cider Vinegar, the all knowing Internet said it would turn the wood grayish. I used the same process, just threw the wool right in the vinegar, sanded the stump super lightly, and reapplied the mixture.

You can see where I made hash marks on the stump there's almost a line down the middle, showing you the different colors that the 2 stains turn. Isn't it funny that the white vinegar turns reddish and the red vinegar turns wood gray?I was kinda petrified to do the new stain right on top of the old, but I figured could always sand it. {again} The new color is just perfect, a tan and gray mixture! I am so glad I tried again.

Since I was already playing around with it, I tried two more experiments staining the wood.

I also sprayed some clear sealer on, just to see what would happen. It made the wood look a little yellow.

I also brewed some Tea to stain the wood. Tea has tannicacid in it, a chemical that reacts with the vinegar.

I read a few different tutorials and some said to apply the tea 1st, let it dry, then brush on the vinegar; while others said to do the opposite.

I just brushed some tea over the vinegar that I had put on the stump days before. I was shocked how dark it tuned! I tried to give you guys a picture of the different results.

Thanks for checking out my new table!! Have you guys made one of these? Are you planning to now that you've seen my beauty? lolI wouldn't blame you cuz I love it!

Disclaimers: I've heard this stain will keep long term. That's awesome, but I probably wouldn't keep it a plastic bottle, like the one I used to mix my stain. Make sure you poke a hole in the lid, to let the fumes escape! As always, I'm telling you all how I did this project, but I'm not a furniture professional or a scientist- so wear gloves and follow along at your own risk. Although I didn't have any problems and haven't heard of anyone having them either.

55 comments:

I love this!! I always drool over it in the west elm catalog too ;) This seems relatively easy once you find a good stump (that's that hard part huh?) I love the homemade stains, what an awesome idea! And more natural too which is great. It looks so nice in your house. I'm going to be on the lookout for a random stump hanging around Boston now ;)

I too am madly in love with the tree stump tables from West Elm - and also detest the price of them! I've got my eye out for a good stump now - thanks so much for the excellent tutorial on how to do this project!

BTW - I tried to make this stain myself as well (just this past weekend in fact!) But it didn't turn out - the steel wool did not dissolve whatsoever in the vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar, and wondered if that was perhaps the problem - but apparently not since you had success with this type of vinegar as well). I believe I first tried leaving it for ~17hrs (with no dissolving happening at all). I ended up completing the project I was working on just using regular stain. I threw out my experiment stain probably the next day - but still no dissolving of steel wool! Is there perhaps a magic ratio of vinegar to wool? I kinda had a lot of wool and only a little vinegar left - but the vinegar did cover the wool. Just wondering what you discovered with your experiments - since they all turned out amazing!!!

I LOVE this! I've been on the lookout for some stumps for just this same reason. And I dying to find one soon! I've never heard of those homemade stains before, but how cool is that? I'd love to give it a try {when I find the perfect log}. Yours turned out so beautifully.

Totally amazing table! Good tip on getting rid of the buggers first. I was thinking these would also make great stools for outside, just put a pillow on the top for comfort. Thanks for sharing...saw you over at Skip to My Lou.

I LOVE this! It's beautiful & what a great tutorial! I found your blog from the Tip Junkie party. I'm your newest follower. If you get a chance, I'd love you to stop by my blog & maybe follow along too! Thanks, Jeni @Becoming Martha

I would love that table in our ski condo (where I am now) or at the beach...it is so versatile and pretty. I did buy a wooden geometric shaped table from West Elm a while ago and it has dried and split a bit...looks rustic though.

The thing I like about your side table is that you can use is as a seat in a pinch! Great job.

I had no idea you could make your own stain. And with things in my kitchen. I just might try this on a piece of furniture I've left unfinished for months. I really like the dark stains from the tea/vinegar mixtures. They look like a dark gray/charcoal in the picture is that accurate? Pinning this. Thanks!

Love the tree stump! I have a few sitting on my deck waiting for the bark to fall off. I've tried the vinegar mix with tea before and tea after and I think it works about the same. It is interesting how it reacts to different species of wood. It's my new favorite wood treatment!

I LOVE this! I would love if you would share this at the Crazy Cute link party happening at Between U & Me right now! I've got a totally awesome giveaway this week, too!OOH! AND, I'm your newest follower! ;)www.betweenuandme.com

Your stump table turned out magnificent...just the right color after lots of experimentation...a girl after my own heart. I am your newest follower and would love it if you would follow me back. I have a great driftwood sailboat give-a-way this week. Looking forward to hearing from you. Sherronhttp://smallholdings.blogspot.com

I'm pretty much convinced that I need to find myself a stump. Something about that sounds funny! I think, though, that my hubby might think that I went off the deep end if I make him stop and grab a tree stump! It looks awesome!

I so love this! I seriously don't know where you get the time to do all of these fabulous projects but thanks so much for sharing them at The Creative Spark. I'll be featuring this one on Sunday. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!Jenn :)

you are my savior! I made my husband pick up a giant tree stump on the side of the road the other day...but wanted to know...how did you get the bark off? is there a treatment you could do to keep the bark? reeljagkb at yahoo dot com is my email it would be awesome if you could give me a little direction...thanks! and it looks ah-mazing!

This is really great, I think I would have liked the stump even before you stained it too. This is one project I just don't think I have the patience for. Finding the stump and letting it sit for months drying out...I'm more of a right now girl! Thanks for sharing!